Academic study identifies Russian satellites as source of continental GPS interference
Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin and Stanford University have pinpointed Russian Kosmos 2546 and five other satellites in the Edinaya Kosmicheskaya Sistema constellation as the origin of high-powered interference across Europe, raising concerns over electronic warfare capabilities.
A joint investigation by academics from the University of Texas at Austin and Stanford University has identified Russian satellites as the source of widespread, high-powered GPS interference across Europe. The research, detailed in a preprint paper published on June 2, analysed ground station data recorded between January 2019 and April 2026, revealing 75 days of interference events that disrupted navigation signals on a continental scale.
The study found that these interference bursts, which lasted less than 10 seconds, occurred primarily on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays during European business hours. By triangulating raw signal data captured in Amsterdam and Trondheim, researchers were able to calculate a quasi-hyperboloid surface with a margin of error of only five meters, pinpointing the source to the Russian satellite Kosmos 2546 and five others within the Edinaya Kosmicheskaya Sistema (EKS) constellation.
The EKS satellites are designed for ballistic missile early warning and operate in highly elliptical Molniya orbits. The interference affected the GPS L1 frequency band at 1575.42 megahertz, as well as a lower-frequency band used by China’s BeiDou navigation system. Because the signals were detectable simultaneously from Norway to Spain, and reaching as far as Greenland and Canada, the researchers determined the source must be at least 1,200 kilometers above the Earth.
While lead researcher Todd Humphreys suggested the signals may be intentional tests of electronic warfare capabilities, other experts remain divided on the motive. Richard Bowden of GMV in Spain independently identified the same satellites but noted that the signals could potentially be short communication messages rather than malicious jamming. Bowden stated that while the signals are intentional and have the potential to disrupt legitimate GNSS services, their specific intent remains unconfirmed.
The European Union has launched an investigation into the matter, though officials have declined to share results due to classification. The Russian Embassy in Washington, DC, declined to comment on the allegations. The findings come amid heightened tensions in space security, with US Space Command warning in April 2026 that Russia had operationalised anti-satellite weapons targeting US government assets.
